Cabinet for tympanum-phonographs



E. A. WIDMANN.

CABINET FOR TYMPANUM PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLlcAnoN FILED JAN. 2|. |919.

W ESSES n (f 24 /NVENTOH TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE A. WIDMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CABINET FOB TYMPANUM-PHONOGBAPHS.

vApplication led January 21, 1919. Serial No. 272,338.

-New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinetsfor Tympanum-Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cabinet vphonographs of the tympanum type.Phonographs of this type, in which sound reproduction is accomplished bymeans of a tympanum or diaphragm of large diameter, without thecustomary means for directing the sound waves, y such as horns,megaphones and the like, give best results when the tympanum is exposedto unconfined air and there is freedom for propagation of the soundwaves in substantially all directions. A cabinet for such apparatusshould preferably be adapted for being opened up in such manner as notto interfere with or produce undesirable modification ofthe eX- cellentcharacter of reproduction obtained with phonographs of this type.

As the reproduction apparatus of the tympanum type is preferablydirectly associated with and usually located substantially adjacent tothe recordtablet, it becomes possible to locate both the record tabletand the sound reproducing apparatus in the same chamber or compartment,and in this way it results that' opening such compartment serves both topermit the free propagation and travel of sound Waves and to affordaccess to the sound tablet, as for operating the phonograph, changingthe records, etc. If desired, the same doors, shutters or the like whichserve for giving access to the cabinet compartment containing the soundtablet may be used also for modifying or controlling the volume, etc.,of the sound reproduction obtained.

A phonograph cabinet in accordance with the present invention may alsocomprise, in addition to the compartment for receiving the phonographand reproducing means, a receptacle or receptacles for holdingphonograph records and the like. `When so provided with a record holdingreceptacle or receptacles it becomes possible to very considerablyincrease the storage space of such cabinet as compared with ordinarycabinet phonographs, in which some portion of the space below thecompartment for containing the record tablet is usually devoted to vtheaccommodation of the customary horn and megaphone, since in thephonograph of the tympanum type theordinary horn and megaphone isentirely dispensed with and the tympanum reproduction apparatus ispreferably inclosed in the same chamber or compartment with-the soundrecord tablet and turntable.

With the foregoing and related objects in View, my invention consists inthe combinations and. features of construction hereinafter pointedoutand claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a partof this specification andwherein the same-reference numerals are applied to designate the sameparts uniformly throughout, -Fifgure 1 is a perspective view of one formo apparatus embodying my invention, with the combined sound`reproductionand record tablet compartment shown closed.4

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but with such compartment shownopened. Fig. 3 is a frontiperspective View of the phonograph cabinet ofFigs. 1 and 2 with the compartment just referred to closed and therecord compartment opened. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form withthe cover removed for clearness of illustration. Fig. 5 is a horizontalcross-sectional view showing a modification, and Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 5, but showing the doors, shown in Fig. 5 in theirclosed position, in their opened position.

The vcabinet is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. 11designatesl the chamber or compartment containing the record tablet 12mounted on the turntable 13, and also the tympanum reproducer apparatus,which includes a large, preferably conical, diaphragm14 mounted in anannular frame 15 and connected with means for tracking the record groovethrough a tubular member 16. When the turntable 13 is elevated withinthe compartment 11 in substantially the position shown, the vmotor forimparting rotation to the turntable may also be contained in thecompartment 11 along with the turntable and record and sound reproducingdevices, which include only the tympanum diaphragm and its mounting andthe means forftracking the record groove, and do not include any horn,

megaphone or similar sound amplifying or` directing devices. It will beunderstood that such tympanum sound reproducing apparatus is not of myinventionpwl se, and that bination with other elements as claimedherein.

The compartment 11 may be constructed with a solid or permanent back andend, as

designated at 17 and 18, Fig. 2, respectively. Inwcase a solid orpermanent end 18 is provided, the same is preferably at that end of thecompartment remote from the diaphragm or tympanum 14. The compartment 11is provided with a cover 19 which may be hinged to the permanent back ofof the cabinet, if provided, and opens upwardly. Means for giving Wideopening and ready access to the compartment from the front are provided,as a pair 4of doors 20 and 21, and that end of the compartment adjacentto the diaphragm or tympanum 14 is also preferably provided with meansfor giving access to the interior ,andy for open- ,",nkg up such portionof the compartment,

and such means may have the form of a door such as shown at 22. Ifdesired, the

opposite end of the compartment 11 may be provided with opening andclosing means, as, for example, the door 23 shown in Fig. 4.

The bottom of the compartment, in the neighborhood of the diaphragm ortympanum 14 is also preferably opened, as, for example, it may be cutout, as shown at 24, Fig. 4, Apermitting passage of sound in'a downwarddirection, and when a record storage compartment 11 is provided beneaththe phonograph compartment 11, and its doors 25 and 2 6, as shown inFig. 3, are opened, free and unconiined propagation of sound waves isafforded through the openin 24 and the open record compartments.

The back of the compartmentll may be so constructed as to be readilyopened and closed. In Fig. 4 I have shown doors 23a and 23b at the back.In Fig. 5 I have shown the sides and ends provided with a series ofslots 28, and adjacent thereto are slidable members 29, 30 and 31 whichare provided with slots 32. In the position shown in Fig. 5 the slidablemembers 29, 30 and 31 have been moved to such position as to close theopenings in the ends and rear of the compartment, but such slots may beentirely opened and the ends and rear of the .compartment may besubstantially completely opened up by sliding the slidable' members 29,30 and 31 so that the openings therein are in register, as Will bereadily understood.

In the modification of Fig. 6 the ends and rear of the compartment 11are shown provided with pivoted slats 33 of the ordinary shutter type,which lmay readily be opened or closed by turning same on their pivots.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing. When thephonograph is out of use the cabinet is entirely closed. When thephonograph is to be used the compartment 11 is opened, exposing thetympanum 14 substantially to unconned air, whereby the vsound Wavesproduced by its vibration are conveyed -in substantially all directionswithout interference, and at the same 'time complete access to theturntable and record tablet and operating means, as starting andstopping levers, etc., is provided. The sounds can, of course, bemodified or dampened to any desired extent by closing or partiallyclosing the doors, slots, shutters or other devices provided, and, asalready stated, the cabinet may comprise only the compartment 11,providing a phonograph of the ordinary type which is'suited to be placedon a table or other support, or the cabinet may be constructed to embodyboth the phonograph compartment 11 and the record compartment 11, inwhich' case the doors of the record compartment are preferably left openWhile the instrument is playing, thus permitting free communication withoutside air through the opening in the instrument board or bottom of thecompartment 11. It will be noted that with the construction shown inFig. 2 the inclosing phonograph cabinet comprises a separate upstandingpost 34 at one corner thereof toward one side thereof, While in the formshown in Fig. 4 the cabinet comprises separate posts 35, 35 at each'endof its forward side with doors opening away therefrom on either sidethereof, so that when all the provisions made for opening up thephonograph cabinet arev completely utilized, the tympanum is freelyexposed to unoonfined air, Whereby the best results in soundreproduction are secured with this type of reproducing device. I claim:

1. A cabinet for a tympanum phonograph, having a compartment at itsupper end for the reception of the tympanum sound reproducing apparatus,said compartment being of substantially the height of said tympanumapparatus, and at least two of the Vertical vvalls of said compartmentbeing made up of members adapted to be opened and closed, and a hingedlid for the top of the compartment, whereby the tympanum soundreproducing apparatus may be entirely inclosed within the compartment,or the comf v having a compartment at its upper end for the reception ofthe tympanum sound reproducing apparatus, said compartment being ofsubstantially the height of said tympanum apparatus and substantiallyall the vertical walls of said compartment being made up of membersadapted to be opened and closed, and a hinged lid for the top of thecompartment` whereby the tympanum sound reproducing apparatus may beentirely inclosed within said compartment, or the compartment may beopened up so that the tympanum is substantially freely exposed insubstantially all directions to unconfned air during sound reproduction.

3. A cabinet for a tympanum phonograph, having a compartment at itsupper end for the reception of the tympanum sound reproduc-ingapparatus, said compartment being of substantially the height Of saidtympanum apparatus, and a hinged lid for the top of the compartment, thefront and both of the side walls of said compartment being substantiallyentirely made up of doors eX- tending to meet the lid When closed,Whereby the tympanum sound reproducinr apparatus may be entirelyinclosed within the compartment, or the compartment may be opened up sothat the tympanum is substantally freely exposed in substantially alldrections to unconfined air during sound reproduction.

In testimony that I claim the fore oing, I have hereto set my hand, this3rd dzay of January, 1919.

EUGENE A. VVIDMANN.

